1. Field
Embodiments relate to an ice making apparatus and a refrigerator having the same, and, more particularly, to an ice making apparatus having a structure capable of preventing a water outflow of an ice making tray mounted on a rear surface of a door and a refrigerator having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator includes a cooling chamber which cools and stores various food products and beverages and a freezing chamber which freezes and stores frozen food products. The cooling chamber and the freezing chamber are defined as separate spaces by a partition wall and are opened and closed by different doors.
Recently, a refrigerator having an ice making apparatus in a cooling chamber or a freezing chamber to automatically form ice has been developed. Lately, a refrigerator having an ice making apparatus which is installed at a door has been developed to minimize a reduction of a storage space inside the cooling chamber or the freezing chamber due to installation of the ice making apparatus.
An example of the refrigerator having an ice making apparatus which is installed at a door and capable of efficiently using a space is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2004-102569.
However, the refrigerator disclosed in the Publication has a problem that liquid water which has not been solidified in the ice making apparatus may flow out of the ice making apparatus due to an opening/closing operation of the door since the ice making apparatus is mounted on the door.
In order to solve such a problem, Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2005-22094 discloses an automatic ice making apparatus of a refrigerator capable of preventing an outflow of water accommodated in an ice making chamber.
The automatic ice making apparatus of the refrigerator disclosed in the Publication includes an approximately semi-cylindrical ice making chamber in which ice is produced; a motor which is disposed at one lengthwise side of the ice making chamber; an ejector which is withdrawn from a motor shaft of the motor and is installed at a lengthwise central portion of the ice making chamber; a water outflow prevention wall which is disposed at one longer side portion of the ice making chamber to be extended upward; and a water outflow prevention slide having a downward inclined upper surface which covers an opening of the ice making chamber from the other longer side portion of the ice making chamber to the vicinity of the rotation shaft.
In the automatic ice making apparatus of the refrigerator disclosed in the Publication, however, since the motor should be operated to alternately rotate forward and backward such that the ejector is not in direct contact with the water outflow prevention slide, there is a problem that the motor has a complicated control structure.
Further, an ice making apparatus of a refrigerator having another structure to prevent a water outflow of the ice making apparatus is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2006-98057.
The ice making apparatus of the refrigerator disclosed in the Publication includes an ice making mold which is provided to be mountable on the inside of the door of the refrigerator and has a plurality of cavities defined by partition walls to form a row in a width direction of the door; an ejector having ejector pins which are provided for the respective cavities and fixed to the ejector shaft; and a water outflow prevention plate having a plate body which is disposed at an upper portion of a main wall of the ice making mold facing an inner surface of the door and covers a specified area of an upper portion of the cavities to prevent an outflow of water in the cavities, wherein an ejector pin passing portion is formed on the plate body for each of the cavities such that each of the rotating ejector pins passes through the ejector pin passing portion.
The water outflow prevention plate of the ice making apparatus disclosed in the Publication is cast of an elastic material such as silicon such that it is restored to an initial state after easily passing the ejector pins therethrough to prevent an outflow of water. The water outflow prevention plate has first slits which are formed to pass the ejector pins therethrough and second slits which are formed to disperse the concentrated stress exerted on the first slits.
However, the slits are contacted with water due to a water flow caused by the opening/closing of the door or the like. In this case, water flows out through the first slits, the second slits and the like. The water which has flowed out through the first and second slits and the like and stood on the water outflow prevention plate is frozen on the surface of the water outflow prevention plate. When the ejector pins pass through the first slits of the water outflow prevention plate with the frozen water, there is a problem that cracks are generated in the slits. Thus, the durability of the water outflow prevention plate is greatly reduced, and after a specified period of time has passed, the water outflow prevention plate cannot perform a function of preventing an outflow of water.